Profiling the Most Successful Clubs in Champions League and European Cup History
Ivan Larsen 
The Champions League is one of the most exciting football tournaments on the planet with the greatest clubs across Europe going head-to-head in the search of supremacy and glory.
Introduced way back in 1955 as the ‘Coupe des Clubs Champions Europeens’ – that’s French for the European Champion Clubs’ Cup – the European Cup has long been synonymous with the peak of club football and has forever captured the imagination of fans.
Undergoing a rebrand and new format in 1992, the Champions League has attracted more and more followers during the last 30 years, with a whopping 450 million people around the world tuning in for the 2023 final as Manchester City triumphed for the first time against Inter. This season, Europe’s best are in battle once again, with supporters making Champions League predictions ahead of this June’s showpiece at Wembley by following expert insight and assessing the odds across the remaining ties, which are sure to be spectacular.
Some of the world’s biggest clubs have enjoyed rich narratives in this competition, and this article will profile the most successful teams in the history of the European Cup and Champions League.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid is football royalty, and winning seems to be in the fabric of Los Blancos. The Spanish giants have won more European Cups than any other club, having lifted the famous trophy on 14 occasions.
Winning the first five editions of the European Cup from 1956 through to 1960 is one of the main reasons Real and this tournament appear to be so entwined in each other’s history. Despite the early dominance, after triumphing in 1966, the team from the Spanish capital had to wait a long 32 years to lift it again when they were victorious in 1998.
At the turn of the century, the Galacticos, made up of some of the best and biggest names in football, helped Real win again in 2000 and 2002 before Carlo Ancelotti and his team achieved La Decima, an astonishing feat as this global powerhouse became the first team to win the trophy ten times.
Former player and assistant Zinedine Zidane guided the side and talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to three more triumphs as the main manager in 2016, 2017, and 2018 before Ancelotti returned from Everton to help Real secure the 14th title in 2022.
Milan
Milan is the most successful club in Italy when it comes to success in the European Cup, having triumphed seven times.
Taking the crown twice in the sixties, Milan won it again in 1989 and 1990 under famous tactician Arrigo Sacchi, and it’s little wonder how. With Franco Baresi and a young Paolo Maldini at the back, Milan was free to attack with the skill and talent of Dutch trio Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, and Marco van Basten, ensuring the Rossoneri were an unstoppable force.
The Serie A heavyweights lifted the title four years later in 1994, before Ancelotti, yes, the current Real manager, guided Milan to victories in 2003 and 2007. From Kaka and Andriy Shevchenko to Alessandro Nesta, Cafu, and Clarence Seedorf, the AC starting line-up in the early 2000s was packed with star quality.
With a quartet of Champions League wins across his spells with Milan and Real, Ancelotti is the most successful coach in the competition’s famous history.
Liverpool
The Premier League side has won the European Cup six times, enjoying dominance both domestically and on the continent throughout the seventies and eighties.
Lifting their first title in 1977 after defeating Borussia Monchengladbach, Liverpool secured the next season’s trophy too as Kenny Dalglish netted the only goal in a 1-0 win over Club Brugge.
The next European Cup followed in 1981 as Alan Kennedy wrote his name into Reds folklore with the winner against Real Madrid, which meant Bob Paisley was the first manager to win the competition three times. In 1984, Liverpool defeated Roma on penalties to secure a fourth victory.
However, it was 2005 that produced their most dramatic triumph. Three goals down to Milan at half-time, the Merseyside club’s hopes of a fifth title looked over until a stirring comeback spearheaded by captain Steven Gerrard was pulled off by a determined Reds side. In game 3-3, Liverpool, with all the momentum, tasted glory in the shootout.
In 2019, Liverpool again lifted the Champions League after coming out on top in an all-English final against Tottenham.
European Cup Greats
Bayern Munich has the same number of wins as Liverpool, having lifted the famous trophy six times while Barcelona has won it on five occasions. Winning the first in 1992 thanks to a stunning Ronald Koeman free-kick, the other four were clinched between 2006 and 2015 as the Catalan club shined courtesy of the supreme talent of Lionel Messi and a supporting cast of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Carles Puyol.
Ajax, meanwhile, has won the European Cup four times, while Inter and Manchester United are tied for three successes each. Chelsea and Nottingham Forest have their name on the trophy twice each, as do Portuguese duo Porto and Benfica and Italian giants Juventus.
With another edition of the Champions League, another set of players have the opportunity to become legends by winning this campaign’s competition. One of the most special tournaments on earth, to lift the trophy, is the dream for football lovers everywhere.
